Can the right kind of boy get away with killing the wrong kind of girl?

Fin and Betty’s close friendship survived Fin’s ninth-grade move from their coastal Maine town to Manhattan. Calls, letters, and summer visits continued to bind them together, and in the fall of their senior year, they both applied to NYU, planning to reunite for good as roommates.

Then Betty disappears. Her ex-boyfriend Calder admits to drowning her, but his confession is thrown out, and soon the entire town believes he was coerced and Betty has simply run away. Fin knows the truth, and she returns to Williston for one final summer, determined to get justice for her friend, even if it means putting her loved ones—and herself—at risk.But Williston is a town full of secrets, where a delicate framework holds everything together, and Fin is not the only one with an agenda. How much is she willing to damage to get her revenge and learn the truth about Betty’s disappearance, which is more complicated than she ever imagined—and infinitely more devastating?

I stumbled across A Good Idea when I was perusing the bookstore. The haunting cover was enough stop me in my tracks but it was the mysterious premise that wrapped its fingers around me and lured me in. I am a sucker for a good thrillerand A Good Idea did not disappoint.

The writing was excellent. Cristina Moracho delivered a bold cast of characters that stood strong on their own. She intertwined these strong characters with a dark and twisted tale. You think everyone knows everything in small towns, but Moracho put that assumption to bed. Even in the smallest of towns secrets can find the darkest of corners and hide.

Aside from the great writing, I think what I loved most about A Good Idea was its ability to stand out among other "Young Adult" novels. Moracho didn't shy away from what others may call racy or risque. There is sex, drugs and murder and it's YOUNG ADULT. I loved that about this book!

I read and enjoyed Althea and Oliver which is another book by Cristina Moracho, but I found that Moracho really found her way with A Good Idea. It felt like a more authentic reading experience.

A Good Idea definitely satisfied by thriller sweet tooth and left me with a major book hangover! Although it's a decent 370 pages, I flew through it, simply not able to put it down. You will devour it hungrily, dying to know what the real truth is!

Friday, March 24, 2017

When Nina Faye was fourteen, her mother told her there was no such thing as unconditional love. Nina believed her. Now Nina is sixteen. And she'll do anything for the boy she loves, just to prove she's worthy of him. But when he breaks up with her, Nina is lost. What is she if not a girlfriend? What is she made of?Broken-hearted, Nina tries to figure out what the conditions of love are. She's been volunteering at a high-kill animal shelter where she realizes that for dogs waiting to be adopted, love comes only to those with youth, symmetry, and quietness. She also ruminates on the strange, dark time her mother took her to Italy to see statues of saints who endured unspeakable torture because of their unquestioning devotion to the divine. Is this what love is?

Last summer, Lucy’s and Ben’s lives changed in an instant. One moment, they were shyly flirting on a lake raft, finally about to admit their feelings to each other after years of yearning. In the next, Trixie—Lucy’s best friend and Ben’s sister—was gone, her heart giving out during a routine swim. And just like that, the idyllic world they knew turned upside down, and the would-be couple drifted apart, swallowed up by their grief. Now it’s a year later in their small lake town, and as the anniversary of Trixie’s death looms, Lucy and Ben’s undeniable connection pulls them back together. They can’t change what happened the day they lost Trixie, but the summer might finally bring them closer to healing—and to each other.

Miss Lydia Whitfield, heiress to the family fortune, has her future entirely planned out. She will run the family estate until she marries the man of her late father's choosing, and then she will spend the rest of her days as a devoted wife. Confident in those arrangements, Lydia has tasked her young law clerk, Mr. Robert Newton, to begin drawing up the marriage contracts. Everything is going according to plan.

Until Lydia—and Robert along with her—is kidnapped. Someone is after her fortune and won't hesitate to destroy her reputation to get it. With Robert's help, Lydia strives to keep her family's good name intact and expose whoever is behind the devious plot. But as their investigation delves deeper and their affections for each other grow, Lydia starts to wonder whether her carefully planned future is in fact what she truly wants…

Juliet Young always writes letters to her mother, a world-traveling photojournalist. Even after her mother's death, she leaves letters at her grave. It's the only way Juliet can cope.Declan Murphy isn't the sort of guy you want to cross. In the midst of his court-ordered community service at the local cemetery, he's trying to escape the demons of his past.When Declan reads a haunting letter left beside a grave, he can't resist writing back. Soon, he's opening up to a perfect stranger, and their connection is immediate. But neither Declan nor Juliet knows that they're not actually strangers. When life at school interferes with their secret life of letters, sparks will fly as Juliet and Declan discover truths that might tear them apart.

The only thing Winter Crane likes about Reeve’s End is that soon she’ll leave it. Like her best friend did. Like her sister did. Like most of the teens born in town have done. There’s nothing for them there but abandoned mines and empty futures. They’re better off taking a chance elsewhere.
The only thing Winter will miss is the woods. Her only refuge. At least it was. Until the day she found Lennon left for dead, bleeding in a tree.
But now Lennon is gone too. And he has Winter questioning what she once thought was true. What if nobody left at all? What if they’re all missing?

Quinn Cutler is sixteen and the daughter of a high-profile Brooklyn politician. She’s also pregnant, a crisis made infinitely more shocking by the fact that she has no memory of ever having sex. Before Quinn can solve this deeply troubling mystery, her story becomes public. Rumors spread, jeopardizing her reputation, her relationship with a boyfriend she adores, and her father’s campaign for Congress. Religious fanatics gather at the Cutlers’ home, believing Quinn is a virgin, pregnant with the next messiah. Quinn’s desperate search for answers uncovers lies and family secrets—strange, possibly supernatural ones. Might she, in fact, be a virgin?

In this delightfully charming teen spin on You’ve Got Mail, the one guy Bailey Rydell can’t stand is actually the boy of her dreams—she just doesn’t know it yet.Classic movie buff Bailey “Mink” Rydell has spent months crushing on a witty film geek she only knows online by “Alex.” Two coasts separate the teens until Bailey moves in with her dad, who lives in the same California surfing town as her online crush.Faced with doubts (what if he’s a creep in real life—or worse?), Bailey doesn’t tell Alex she’s moved to his hometown. Or that she’s landed a job at the local tourist-trap museum. Or that she’s being heckled daily by the irritatingly hot museum security guard, Porter Roth—a.k.a. her new arch-nemesis. But life is whole lot messier than the movies, especially when Bailey discovers that tricky fine line between hate, love, and whatever-it-is she’s starting to feel for Porter.And as the summer months go by, Bailey must choose whether to cling to a dreamy online fantasy in Alex or take a risk on an imperfect reality with Porter. The choice is both simpler and more complicated than she realizes, because Porter Roth is hiding a secret of his own: Porter is Alex…Approximately

1777. Albany, New York. As battle cries of the American Revolution echo in the distance, servants flutter about preparing for one of New York society’s biggest events: the Schuylers’ grand ball. Descended from two of the oldest and most distinguished bloodlines in New York, the Schuylers are proud to be one of their fledgling country’s founding families, and even prouder still of their three daughters—Angelica, with her razor-sharp wit; Peggy, with her dazzling looks; and Eliza, whose beauty and charm rival that of both her sisters, though she’d rather be aiding the colonists’ cause than dressing up for some silly ball.Still, she can barely contain her excitement when she hears of the arrival of one Alexander Hamilton, a mysterious, rakish young colonel and General George Washington’s right-hand man. Though Alex has arrived as the bearer of bad news for the Schuylers, he can’t believe his luck—as an orphan, and a bastard one at that—to be in such esteemed company. And when Alex and Eliza meet that fateful night, so begins an epic love story that would forever change the course of American history.

It was always meant to be Olivia. She was the talented one, the one who had been training to be a star her whole life. Her best friend, Dana, was the level-headed one, always on the sidelines, cheering her best friend along.But everything changes when Dana tags along with Olivia to Orlando for the weekend, where superproducer Guy Monroe is holding auditions for a new singing group, and Dana is discovered too. Dana, who’s never sung more than Olivia’s backup. Dana, who wasn’t even looking for fame. Next thing she knows, she and Olivia are training to be pop stars, and Dana is falling for Alex, the earnest, endlessly talented boy who’s destined to be the next big thing.It should be a dream come true, but as the days of grueling practice and constant competition take their toll, things between Olivia and Dana start to shift . . . and there’s only room at the top for one girl. For Olivia, it’s her chance at her dream. For Dana, it’s a chance to escape a future that seems to be closing in on her. And for these lifelong best friends, it’s the adventure of a lifetime—if they can make it through.Set in evocative 1990s Orlando, New York Times bestselling author Katie Cotugno’s Fireworks brings to life the complexity of friendship, the excitement of first love, and the feeling of being on the verge of greatness.

Breathe, Taylor.Taylor Clay's family isn't exactly perfect. They may look the part with the nice, big house and her dad's fancy job, but that's what's tearing them apart. That, and her dad's sudden recurring drinking problem.Though her family is close to falling apart, she never wished for something like this to happen. She never wished for her father to drive off a bridge. Especially not while they were on vacation; especially not when her and her mom were in the car with him at the time.Breathe.She's devastated after the fact. And it isn't helping that the papers are gossiping about how the pristine lawyer could have driven off the bridge on purpose. And just when she thinks nothing could possibly make things worse, she realizes she's left alone with no relatives to care for her.So she's alone. Her parents are dead. And she's stuck in the country her family was visiting for their vacation. She's alone in Paris.Just breathe.Then Nathan walks into the picture. Funny, snarky, persistent, and sometimes, just flat out rude, he annoys Taylor to no end. He won't leave her alone, but Taylor doesn't know whether or not she should push him away.

This was supposed to be the best summer of Maggie’s life. Now it’s the one she’d do anything to forget.

Maggie Reynolds remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party the night before. She remembers climbing the trail hand in hand with her perfect boyfriend, Joey. She remembers that last kiss, soft, lingering, and meant to reassure her. So why can't she remember what happened in the moment before they were supposed to dive? Why was she left cowering at the top of the cliff, while Joey floated in the water below—dead?

As Maggie's memories return in snatches, nothing seems to make sense. Why was Joey acting so strangely at the party? Where did he go after taking her home? And if Joey was keeping these secrets, what else was he hiding?McBride delivers a novel of secrets that packs an emotional punch, perfect for fans of Sara Zarr and Gayle Forman.

“What if it's as simple as one moment? One tiny thing, like that kiss on the rocks? What if I'd kissed him a little longer? Would he be alive right now? Or what if I'd stayed with him Friday night, what if I'd been with him… wherever he was?”

One Momentaddresses one of our worst fears, the fear that we find out the one we love, aren't really who they say they are. What's worse? You find out the truth after it's too late, and it's up to only you to find all the answers and piece them together.

One Moment is the first book by Kristina McBride that I've had the privilege of reading, but I can tell you that it won't be my last. I absolutely fell in love not only with her delicate writing style, but with the beautiful character cast that she crafted. McBride delivered One Moment in such a way that you simply can't stop reading. She keeps you hanging on to the very edge of your seat until you turn the last page. And once you close the book for it's last time, you mind is left spinning, reeling over the heartbreaking tale you just experience.

One Moment is a character driven novel. It's this circle of friends that drive the story. Each character was a vital component to the book's entire package. I saw a lot of myself in Maggie. She is an average teenager that wears her heart on her sleeve. She not only lives and breathes for her boyfriend, Joey, she also lives for her friends.

We learn before cracking the book open that something mysteriously goes wrong during Joey's cliff jump that leaves him dead. The rest of the story surrounds this tragic incident and the unfolding of deep, dark secrets that test.

I loved every moment I spent reading One Moment. It takes you on a wild ride of mystery, romance and heart break. It is everything you could ask for in a book!

Seventeen-year-old Ivy Erickson has one month, twenty-seven days, four hours, fifty-nine minutes, and two seconds to live.Ever since she was a child, Ivy has been able to see countdown clocks over everyone's heads indicating how long before they will die. She can't do anything about anyone else’s, nor can she do anything about her own, which will hit the zero hour before she even graduates high school.A life cut short is tragic, but Ivy does her best to make the most of it. She struggles emotionally with her deep love for on-again, off-again boyfriend Myers Patripski. She struggles financially, working outside of school to help her mom and her sister. And she struggles to cope with the murder of her best friend, another life she couldn't save. Vanessa Donovan was killed in the woods, and everyone in town believes Ivy had something to do with it.Then more girls start disappearing. Ivy tries to put her own life in order as she pieces together the truth of who ended Vanessa's. To save lives and for her own sanity.The clock is always ticking. And Ivy's only hope is to expose the truth before it runs out completely.

I was immediately drawn to Gardenia by its premise; so intriguing. The idea was completely original to me and I couldn't wait to dive in!

We're introduced to Ivy Erickson. A seventeen year old girl who can see, like a cook timer over your head, the amount of time you have left to live. Would you call this a gift or a curse? Ivy's best friend was murdered and other girls are disappearing. Ivy takes matters into her own hands to try and find the Killer, but will she make it in time?

I was completely enthralled by Gardenia. Once I started, like cast under a spell, I could not put it down, and why would I? Kelly Sutton's writing was pure perfection. She created a very likeable character in Ivy, Myers, Lorna, and the other characters. She also delivered a story that packed so much punch, you simply had to read 'just one more chapter'.

The suspense will literally keep you on the edge of your seat. And Sutton does not give anything up easily. She is gifted at the art of keeping you hanging on! Throughout each chapter she gives you just a perfect little taste of what's coming, leaving you wanting more. She also adds to the definition of a cliff hanger. Each chapter leaving you dying to know what will happen next. Underneath all of this suspense though, is the unfolding of a beautiful love story. A story between sisters, mother and daughter and teenage romance. It was a wonderful undertone to the dark mystery.

Gardenia may come in a small package, at only 260 pages, but it's story is larger than life! It's a heart-pounding reading experience that will leave you wanting to devour Kelly Sutton's other work. Gardenia will give you a serious book hangover, but like other hangovers, this one won't leave you regretting a thing! I've already recommended this book to all of my bookworm friends, and I know that my copy will get lots of love, from me re-reading it, and passing it along to my friends.

Thursday, March 2, 2017

What:Twitter Takeover. New York Times bestselling author Robin Talley will be discussing some of her "firsts" and answering reader questions about her books! (Lies We Tell Ourselves, What We Left Behind, As I Descended, and her latest release Our Own Private Universe)

How: Head over to @YoungEntmag on March 9th at 2pm ET, follow along, and tweet your questions to Robin!

Why: Our Own Private Universe (HarlequinTeen; January 31, 2017) is a timely tale of self-discovery and social awareness, hailed by Kirkus in a starred review as “an important and heartfelt contribution to contemporary teen lit about queer women: hopeful, realistic, and romantic.”

About the Book:Fifteen-year-old Aki Simon has a theory. And it's mostly about sex.

No, it isn't that kind of theory. Aki already knows she's bisexual—even if, until now, it's mostly been in the hypothetical sense. Aki has dated only guys so far, and her best friend, Lori, is the only person who knows she likes girls, too.

Actually, Aki's theory is that she's got only one shot at living an interesting life—and that means she's got to stop sitting around and thinking so much. It's time for her to actually do something. Or at least try.

So when Aki and Lori set off on a church youth-group trip to a small Mexican town for the summer and Aki meets Christa—slightly older, far more experienced—it seems her theory is prime for the testing.

About the Author:Robin Talley, author of Lies We Tell Ourselves (September 2014), What We Left Behind (October 2015), As I Descended (September 2016), and Our Own Private Universe (January 2017), grew up in Roanoke, Virginia. A Lambda Literary Fellow, Robin now lives in Washington, D.C., with her wife, plus an antisocial cat and a goofy hound dog. When Robin’s not writing, she’s often planning communication strategies at organizations fighting for equal rights and social justice. You can find her on the web at www.robintalley.com or on Twitter at @robin_talley.

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Hi! I'm Cathy and I'm the creator of this little space on the internet. By day, I am a Yoga instructor and by night I am an avid reader and a book blogger.

Like all book bloggers, I created this website to have a platform to rant or rave about the latest book I just read, book trends, and more! As much as this space is for me, it is for you! I work to better this little website every day so you enjoy your visit!